Lucy Kuptana

Member Nunakput

Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Lucy Kuptana was elected to the 20th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in November 2023 to represent the constituency of Nunakput, which includes the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok. A member of the Executive Council, she is the Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories and the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

Prior to her election, Mrs. Kuptana was the Senior Administrative Officer for the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. She was also a director with the Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority.

For 22 years previous, Mrs. Kuptana was the Director of Operations, Communications, and Culture with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC). In a volunteer capacity, she has served as a director of the Inuvik Homeless Shelter Society, trustee of the Arctic Inspiration Prize, president of the Inuvialuit Communications Society, director of the Inuvialuit Investment Corporation, director of the Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik Community Corporations, and a committee member for the 2023 Northern Youth Games “Inuvialuit Piuyausiat” in Tuktoyaktuk.

Originally from Aklavik and raised at her family’s bush camp in the Mackenzie Delta, Mrs. Kuptana obtained a Level II and Level III Certificate in Community Administration from Aurora College in the early 1990s and returned to graduate with a Diploma in Business Administration and Management in 2013. Mrs. Kuptana is currently enrolled with Yukon University, where she is working towards accreditation in the school’s First Nations Governance and Public Administration program.

Despite a successful career spanning decades, Mrs. Kuptana credits her husband and family in supporting her. She says she owes much of her success to those who have fought – and continue to fight – for Indigenous and Inuvialuit rights.

Mrs. Kuptana’s guiding principle is to lead with respect, empathy, knowledge, and the willingness to work hard for the constituents she represents and all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Nunakput Electoral District

Committees

Public Accounts
Lucy Kuptana
Nunakput
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister
Email
Email
Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Statements in Debates

Question 331-20(1): Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The intention of this work is to provide data and build a business case for the Akaitcho territory to look for federal funding to increase the supply of housing in the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 322-20(1): Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a shared responsibility. It's important that this government and the federal government realize that we need to invest in public housing in the North. I pressed this with Cabinet and my FMB colleagues. This is important. It's a priority of this government, of the 20th Assembly. The work we do and the message we brought to the Council of Leaders in Ottawa was a shared responsibility, working with Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories, making sure that the message set across from both the federal government and Indigenous governments is these are public...

Question 322-20(1): Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 30)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I don't have that information. Based on what I know to date, Indigenous governments are working on market home plans, other type of market rentals for professionals in the community. The 897 on the waiting list are looking for affordable public housing units so, unfortunately, they may not meet the criteria for market home plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 314-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Staffing, Policies and Procedures in Monfwi
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I can't provide an average time on the housing waitlist. I know there's -- from what I understand with the information, there is over 135 families on the housing waitlist for Behchoko, but I don't have an average time waitlist. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 314-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Staffing, Policies and Procedures in Monfwi
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to clarify, in the region -- with the question, does she mean the Monfwi riding? Just need some clarification, Mr. Speaker.

Question 316-20(1): Naming of Government of the Northwest Territories Buildings
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member puts me in a very awkward position because I want to be respectful to the memory of Mr. Tony Whitford but there is a process that we have to follow. There are policies we have to follow. So I'm willing to have a discussion within Cabinet to talk about this, but I can't make the announcement today, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Question 314-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Staffing, Policies and Procedures in Monfwi
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The time and money to collect and look at housing arrears is something that the work four administration staff do within the housing authority. But to let the Member know that we are working on a territorial housing needs assessment, and this information will hopefully be provided by spring with Housing NWT. But that includes all the unit condition ratings, the information from the bureau of statistics, internal reviews, working with housing authorities.

Something else that we're also doing with Housing NWT in the Member's riding is we're working with the Tlicho housing...

Question 314-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Staffing, Policies and Procedures in Monfwi
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the clarification. Based on the information from Housing NWT, with the housing authority in Behchoko we have four maintenance positions and four administration positions within the authority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 316-20(1): Naming of Government of the Northwest Territories Buildings
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd have to look at the information to find out what exactly is the process to naming the building, the step-by-step process. We'll follow that process, and I'll work with the Member to ensure and provide him updates with the process itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 314-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Staffing, Policies and Procedures in Monfwi
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Minister, I think it's important that I visit the communities, go into people's homes to look at the existing conditions that they live in public housing, and I have told the Member I am open for a visit and willing to go with her into Behchoko and to go to people's homes to talk to them about their living conditions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.